88212 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 20, 2023 / Notices 

Total Burden Hours (annually 

including all respondents): 420 hours. 

This estimated total burden hours is 

shown in the Table below. 

TABLE—TOTAL BURDEN HOURS

Categories of respondents 

Total annual 

hours for 

samples submitted 

Railroads that conduct their own sampling and report monthly ................................................................................................ 150 

Railroads that conduct their own sampling and report quarterly .............................................................................................. 20 

Railroads that have a third party sample their waybills and report monthly ............................................................................. 30 

Railroads that have a third party sample their waybills and report quarterly ........................................................................... 220 

Total Annual Burden Hours ................................................................................................................................................ 420 

Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’ 

Cost: There are no other costs identified 

because filings are submitted 

electronically to the Board. 

Needs and Uses: The Board is, by 

statute, responsible for the economic 

regulation of common carrier rail 

transportation in the United States and 

collects rail-carload waybills for this 

purpose. The Board has authority to 

collect these waybills under 49 U.S.C. 

11144, 11145, and the Board often uses 

the information in rail-carload waybills 

to carry out its responsibilities. 

A rail-carload waybill is a ‘‘document 

or instrument prepared from the bill of 

lading contract or shipper’s instructions 

as to the disposition of the freight, and 

[is] used by the railroad(s) involved as 

the authority to move the shipment and 

as the basis for determining the freight 

charges and interline settlements.’’ 49 

CFR 1244.1(c). From these carload 

waybills, the Board creates an aggregate 

compilation of the sampled waybills of 

all reporting carriers, referred to as the 

Waybill Sample. The Waybill Sample is 

the Board’s principal source of data 

about freight rail shipments. The 

information in the Waybill Sample is 

used by the Board, other federal and 

state agencies, and industry 

stakeholders to monitor traffic flows and 

rate trends in the industry, and to 

develop testimony in Board 

proceedings. The Board’s collection and 

use of this data enables it to meet its 

statutory duty to regulate the rail 

industry. 

Under the PRA, a federal agency that 

conducts or sponsors a collection of 

information must display a currently 

valid OMB control number. A collection 

of information, which is defined in 44 

U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c), 

includes agency requirements that 

persons submit reports, keep records, or 

provide information to the agency, third 

parties, or the public. Section 3507(b) of 

the PRA requires, concurrent with an 

agency’s submitting a collection to OMB 

for approval, a 30-day notice and 

comment period through publication in 

the Federal Register concerning each 

proposed collection of information, 

including each proposed extension of an 

existing collection of information. 

Information from certain schedules 

contained in these reports is available at 

the Board’s website at www.stb.gov by 

navigating to ‘‘Reports & Data’’ and 

clicking on ‘‘Economic Data.’’ 

Information in these reports is not 

available from any other source. 

Dated: December 15, 2023. 

Kenyatta Clay, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2023–27947 Filed 12–19–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration 

[FMCSA–2014–0383; FMCSA–2014–0385; 

FMCSA–2014–0387; FMCSA–2018–0139; 

FMCSA–2019–0109; FMCSA–2019–0110; 

FMCSA–2021–0015] 

Qualification of Drivers; Exemption 

Applications; Hearing 

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety 

Administration (FMCSA), Department 

of Transportation (DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of final disposition. 

SUMMARY: FMCSA announces its 

decision to renew exemptions for 13 

individuals from the hearing 

requirement in the Federal Motor 

Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for 

interstate commercial motor vehicle 

(CMV) drivers. The exemptions enable 

these hard of hearing and deaf 

individuals to continue to operate CMVs 

in interstate commerce. 

DATES: The exemptions were applicable 

on November 19, 2023. The exemptions 

expire on November 19, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Christine A. Hydock, Chief, Medical 

Programs Division, FMCSA, DOT, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W64–224, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, (202) 366– 

4001, fmcsamedical@dot.gov. Office 

hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

If you have questions regarding viewing 

or submitting material to the docket, 

contact Dockets Operations, (202) 366– 

9826. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation 

A. Viewing Comments 

To view comments go to 

www.regulations.gov. Insert the docket 

number (FMCSA–2014–0383, FMCSA– 

2014–0385, FMCSA–2014–0387, 

FMCSA–2018–0139, FMCSA–2019– 

0109, FMCSA–2019–0110, or FMCSA– 

2021–0015) in the keyword box and 

click ‘‘Search.’’ Next, sort the results by 

‘‘Posted (Newer-Older),’’ choose the first 

notice listed, and click ‘‘Browse 

Comments.’’ If you do not have access 

to the internet, you may view the docket 

online by visiting Dockets Operations 

on the ground floor of the DOT West 

Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. To be 

sure someone is there to help you, 

please call (202) 366–9317 or (202) 366– 

9826 before visiting Dockets Operations. 

B. Privacy Act 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b)(6), DOT solicits comments 

from the public on the exemption 

requests. DOT posts these comments, 

without edit, including any personal 

information the commenter provides, to 

www.regulations.gov. As described in 

the system of records notice DOT/ALL 

14 (Federal Docket Management 

System), which can be reviewed at 

https://www.transportation.gov/ 

individuals/privacy/privacy-act-systemrecords-notices, the comments are 

searchable by the name of the submitter. 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 243 / Wednesday, December 20, 2023 / Notices 88213 

1For purposes of this General Directive, transit 

worker means any employee, contractor, or 

volunteer working on behalf of a transit agency, 

who comes into contact with the public while 

performing their duties. 

II. Background 

On October 31, 2023, FMCSA 

published a notice announcing its 

decision to renew exemptions for 13 

individuals from the hearing standard in 

49 CFR 391.41(b)(11) to operate a CMV 

in interstate commerce and requested 

comments from the public (88 FR 

74560). The public comment period 

ended on November 30, 2023, and no 

comments were received. 

FMCSA has evaluated the eligibility 

of these applicants and determined that 

renewing these exemptions would likely 

achieve a level of safety that is 

equivalent to, or greater than, the level 

that would be achieved by complying 

with § 391.41(b)(11). 

The physical qualification standard 

for drivers regarding hearing found in 

§ 391.41(b)(11) states that a person is 

physically qualified to drive a CMV if 

that person first perceives a forced 

whispered voice in the better ear at not 

less than 5 feet with or without the use 

of a hearing aid or, if tested by use of 

an audiometric device, does not have an 

average hearing loss in the better ear 

greater than 40 decibels at 500 Hz, 1,000 

Hz, and 2,000 Hz with or without a 

hearing aid when the audiometric 

device is calibrated to American 

National Standard (formerly ASA 

Standard) Z24.5—1951. 

This standard was adopted in 1970 

and was revised in 1971 to allow drivers 

to be qualified under this standard 

while wearing a hearing aid (35 FR 

6458, 6463 (Apr. 22, 1970) and 36 FR 

12857 (July 8, 1971), respectively). 

III. Discussion of Comments 

FMCSA received no comments in this 

proceeding. 

IV. Conclusion 

Based upon its evaluation of the 13 

renewal exemption applications, 

FMCSA announces its decision to 

exempt the following drivers from the 

hearing requirement in § 391.41(b)(11). 

As of November 19, 2023, and in 

accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31136(e) and 

31315(b), the following 13 individuals 

have satisfied the renewal conditions for 

obtaining an exemption from the 

hearing requirement in the FMCSRs for 

interstate CMV drivers (88 FR 74561): 

Jeffrey Barbuto (NH) 

Wayne Crowl (IN) 

Debbie Gaskill (GA) 

Jason Gensler (OH) 

Emil Iontchev (IL) 

Jerrell McCrary (NC) 

Danny McGowan (WV) 

Matthew Moore (TX) 

Abdiwahab Olow (MN) 

Stuart Randles (FL) 

Anthony Saive (TN) 

Jennifer Valentine (TX) 

Donald Weyand (MI) 

The drivers were included in docket 

numbers FMCSA–2014–0383, FMCSA– 

2014–0385, FMCSA–2014–0387, 

FMCSA–2018–0139, FMCSA–2019– 

0109, FMCSA–2019–0110, or FMCSA– 

2021–0015. Their exemptions were 

applicable as of November 19, 2023 and 

will expire on November 19, 2025. 

In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 

31315(b), each exemption will be valid 

for 2 years from the effective date unless 

revoked earlier by FMCSA. The 

exemption will be revoked if the 

following occurs: (1) the person fails to 

comply with the terms and conditions 

of the exemption; (2) the exemption has 

resulted in a lower level of safety than 

was maintained prior to being granted; 

or (3) continuation of the exemption 

would not be consistent with the goals 

and objectives of 49 U.S.C. 31136, 49 

U.S.C. chapter 313, or the FMCSRs. 

Larry W. Minor, 

Associate Administrator for Policy. 

[FR Doc. 2023–27994 Filed 12–19–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

[Docket No. FTA–2023–0032] 

Proposed General Directive 24–1: 

Required Actions Regarding Assaults 

on Transit Workers 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration 

(FTA), Department of Transportation 

(DOT). 

ACTION: Notice of proposed general 

directive; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: The Federal Transit 

Administration (FTA) is proposing a 

General Directive to address the 

significant and continuing nationallevel safety risk related to assaults on 

transit workers. The General Directive 

would require each transit agency 

subject to FTA’s Public Transportation 

Agency Safety Plans (PTASP) regulation 

to conduct a safety risk assessment, 

identify safety risk mitigations or 

strategies, and provide information to 

FTA on how it is assessing, mitigating, 

and monitoring the safety risk 

associated with assaults on transit 

workers. As required by the Bipartisan 

Infrastructure Law, each transit agency 

serving a large urbanized area must 

involve the joint labor-management 

Safety Committee when identifying 

safety risk mitigations. 

DATES: Comments should be filed by 

February 20, 2024. FTA will consider 

comments received after that date to the 

extent practicable. 

ADDRESSES: You may send comments, 

identified by docket number FTA– 

2023–0032, by any of the following 

methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for sending comments. 

• Fax: (202) 493–2251. 

• Mail: Docket Management Facility, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery/Courier: West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

Instructions: All submissions received 

must include the agency name (Federal 

Transit Administration and Docket 

Number (FTA–2023–0032). All 

comments received will be posted 

without change to https://

www.regulations.gov, including any 

personal information provided. 

Docket: For internet access to the 

docket to read background documents 

and comments received, go to https://

www.regulations.gov. Background 

documents and comments received may 

also be viewed at the U.S. Department 

of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. 

SE, Docket Operations, M–30, West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m. EST, Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

program matters, contact Stewart Mader, 

Office of Transit Safety and Oversight, 

(202) 366–9677 or stewart.mader@

dot.gov. For legal matters, contact 

Heather Ueyama, Office of Chief 

Counsel, (202) 366–7374 or 

heather.ueyama@dot.gov. 

Office hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FTA is 

seeking comment on a proposed General 

Directive to address the significant and 

continuing nationwide safety risk 

associated with assaults on transit 

workers.1 This General Directive is part 

of FTA’s ongoing comprehensive efforts 

to improve transit worker safety. FTA is 

also undertaking other actions related to 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1